Was just looking at the steering column assembly this weekend. Mainly with a view to lowering the column somehow. Turns out there's a bracket under the dash that would be perfect if you could take the bolts out, shim it and put some longer bolts back in again.
Trouble is the bolts are strange conical afforts with no spanner head on them. Are these not bolts and someting annoying like big rivets? Anyone tried lowering the column? Any help appreciated.
Cheers gang.
Steering wheel angle
Moderator: martauto
-
eko
- Old timer
- Posts: 11531
- Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: South Devon
i think they are actually `snap bolts`!
Tightened to a certain torque then the head shears of for security!
Probably wrong though
Tightened to a certain torque then the head shears of for security!
Probably wrong though
-
agent006
- E30 Zone Regular
- Posts: 701
- Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: Cheltenham
Any way to get them out, other than attacking it with an angle grinder?
-
agent006
- E30 Zone Regular
- Posts: 701
- Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: Cheltenham
You're right about the bolts, ETK lists them as Fracture bolts (32311152054).
-
eko
- Old timer
- Posts: 11531
- Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: South Devon
not tryed on an E30,but on old Escorts i used a decent center punch and then a small chisel.
-
Turbo-Brown
- Boost Junkie
- Posts: 4705
- Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: Aldershot, Hants
Thought you were supposed to drill the heads off them. Theoretically once the head's off, you should be able to twiddle the threaded bit out by hand.
Worked on my mums Moggy and my GT6
Worked on my mums Moggy and my GT6
)-
Martinaston
- E30 Zone Addict
- Posts: 3749
- Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: London
Try a pair of mole grips, if there's room.
There is NO nucleus.
-
Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member
- Posts: 49360
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
I usually weld something on to them to get them out.
When you' ve got them out, force the column down past where you want it to end up to put a permanent bend in the bulkhead support, so that it's not under stress when the columns in it's final position. Also slacken off the splined clamp on the column in the engine compartment, so that it can slide a little to avoid stressing the flexible joint. Don't forget to tighten it again.
The column can be reattached at the top using ordinary M8 bolts of the right length.
When you' ve got them out, force the column down past where you want it to end up to put a permanent bend in the bulkhead support, so that it's not under stress when the columns in it's final position. Also slacken off the splined clamp on the column in the engine compartment, so that it can slide a little to avoid stressing the flexible joint. Don't forget to tighten it again.
The column can be reattached at the top using ordinary M8 bolts of the right length.